Do you believe in spanking children?

1. 91

   vocalcoachposted 12 years ago

   Do you believe in spanking children?

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2. 96

   ChaplinSpeaksposted 12 years ago

   yours or someone else's?  Just kidding!
   
   My answer is a firm No! and that is coming from the Bible-belt South.

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3. 83

   Hyphenbirdposted 12 years ago

   I do not. I tried it once and my spirit was just crushed. Never again would I lift my hand to my child. Never.

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4. 58

   zzronposted 12 years ago

   
   
   Yes I do. I believe that is one of the biggest problems with today's youth. Somebody did not love them or care enough about them to spank them when they were young children when they deserved it. This is one of the main reasons why we now have adults who are spoiled rotten and believe they do not have to abide by the law. They did not learned discipline or right from wrong when they were children growing up. Someone mentioned the Bible, I believe the Scripture says, " Spare the rod and spoil the child."

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      renovationowposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well it doesn't ! A 30 second check on Google would've answered that one for you.  Do you reckon a good war would help them too ?

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5. 67

   sandy1973mypetdogposted 12 years ago

   I will have to disagree with a previous answer and I live in the south as well. I was raised by a mom and dad who believed in spanking. It never hurt me and as a matter of fact, it helped me to not turn into some juvenile deliquent. I am a successful person today and I for one learned a lot from being disciplined when I was a child. Just a simple answer.

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6. 61

   ringlawncareposted 12 years ago

   No! I do understand both points of view, but would have to say the experience for every child would be different.
   
   It's like an alcoholic (I'm a recovering one) waking up after a night out and not knowing how they got there.
   
   Of course there is another type of alcoholic. The one who knows how they got there, and get's on with there day (functional alcoholic).
   
   What's this have to do with kids getting a spanking?
   
   As a youth there were times I would be awaken in the middle of the night to take on the BELT! I would like to think this has somehow shaped who I am today, and it has, it's taught me how to be a better dad and leave the belt on my jeans so they don't fall down.
   
   Now the other kid who had taken on the belt. The convicted child abuser, the angry parent who can't stand their kids' screaming, etc.
   
   PARENTS Kids are gonna do what their gonna do (just like adults). I have 5 of them and they all are over 16, watch their friends, as they will be their biggest influences!   
   
   To sum it up, everybody re-acts differently to certain things.  Good Question!

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7. 69

   onegoodwomanposted 12 years ago

   Yes, I do............
   
   every little offense is not worthy of a spanking
   
   Playing in the street IS..........it is far too risky, for me to give them a time out!   They HAVE to know this is a serious offense, and one that puts them in danger.
   
   coloring on the walls.......not so much
   not eating their veggies..........not worthy of a spanking
   getting  up from bedtime........not worthy
   
   
   playing with fire.................YES, I have to get their attention, NOW..........this is dangerous stuff!
   
   A few whacks on the backside vs permanent and lasting damage..........yeah, it is a fair trade.
   
   Emotional abuse.........." you are dumb", " you are worthless", " you will never amount to anything"............is , in my opinion, far more damaging and life lasting.
   
   "spanking" is not  equal to physical ABUSE.  I do not condone  such acts, but a couple of swift slaps to the backside to make an impression is often the right thing to do.

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8. 59

   shea duaneposted 12 years ago

   I think spanking is wrong. I once spanked my son when he broke a window, and I did it out of anger. That is why I swore I'd never spank him again. I do yell at times, but I will never spank a child again.

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9. 59

   duffsmomposted 12 years ago

   No.  The last time I spanked my daughter, she was 3 and I did it because I was angry.  It was not about discipline and I realized at that moment I had no business spanking this child. 
   
   Didn't do it often before that and NEVER after that.  And both my kids turned out well, happy and productive.  So it can be done but it does take a lot more work than just hauling off and whacking them.
   
   And "the rod" is also what the implement used to guide sheep is called. So maybe....

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10. 79

    Alexander Brennerposted 12 years ago

    I believe, and do not get me wrong this comes from some one without child, any physical abuse is only setting a child up to associate violence with solutions, and actions with fear. A father who solves a conflict at home with violence, it stands to reason, will translate to a child who solves their problems at school or the real world with violence. Nowadays children have so many treats and pleasures that older generations never got the benefit of. Before spanking, which seems like a very quick-solve solution, one should try negative punishment, or the removal of something to discourage a behavior. Turn off the TV, hell, throw it out! No dessert, no toys, no going outside, or positive punishment, make them write lines like my mother did, or even run laps. There are so many ways to discourage a behavior.
    
    Listen, I am not a parent, but I am also the uncle of a 13 year old 9 year old and 6 year old. I have also taken classes and school age education and substitute teaching and psychology. I just think that if teachers can affectively discourage behavior without violence, everyone should at least make an effort. Perhaps we can look forward to a future where our children do not even think of violence as a solution.

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11. 58

    GoldenBirdposted 12 years ago

    Spanking hurts the emotions of childhood. I think we must discourage all types of abuse to the naive kids, saving a few exceptions here and there.
    
    Those who deserve severe spanking are the adolescents and grown ups!

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12. 67

    xethonxqposted 12 years ago

    No, I believe in being consistent with children, having patience, and always remembering that they are children, not mini adults.

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13. 70

    zoey24posted 12 years ago

    I was beaten not spanked by my biological parents and so swore to never even spank my own children. I know lots of children who have grown up bad, even though they were spanked, so to say that kids who grow up bad wasnt spanked by their parents is completely false. I think its rediculous to punish children with violence "You have just hit/kicked you brother, so i am going to spank you". Its contradictive and confusing the child from a young age. You are punishing bad behaviour by using bad behavior. Sometimes its not a case of parents cant be bothered to spank and discipline their child, it's more of a case of the parents that spank their children, cant be bothered to find alternative punishment because its too time consuming. My children are good kids and i have never felt the need to smack them. People are always going to disagree on this subject, depending on their own beliefs and how they were raised themselves.

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14. 59

    creativebutterflyposted 12 years ago

    Absolutely do not believe in spanking children.  if we stop the violence being given to children then we might be able to change how the world interact together.
    I came from a home where I was spanked with a belt and believe me it is not the way to a childs heart or the way to teach anything.

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15. 85

    mikejhcaposted 12 years ago

    No.  I do not have children but I know children that were spanked.  Some of the kids I know that were spanked do not know how to deal with anger.  They get mad and start yelling and hitting or hold it in and take it out on someone later.  Spanking is just hitting your kid where other people will not see the mark.  It can cause teenagers to yell at their parents and hit them. 
    
    When you hit a child that child is more likely start hitting other people.  As they get bigger they may start hitting their parents.

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16. 68

    Jewelz1313posted 12 years ago

    I don't like spanking, but have had to spank my children a couple of times when they were younger. I believe in avoiding it at all cost, but sometimes a child will just totally defy you to see how far they can push you Their has to be some type of punishment for deliberate bad actions. I was spanked lightly as a child by my mother. Never enough to hurt, just enough to get my attention to let me know she was serious and we are the best of friends and I respect the heck out of that wonderful woman. My dad, I never was spanked except for one time as a teenager, BOY did I need that. He let me know real quick who was in charge. NO ONE should ever spank their child when they are upset.
    When I did have to spank my children, I would tell them to go to there rooms, give myself a minute to collect my thoughts and decide what to do. I have to say my children are now teenagers and very respectful of other people. I've seen a lot of kids that you can tell whether or not they have ever had a spanking, because they don't seem to have respect for anyone. I guess some kids may need it, where others don't.
    The punishment HAS to fit the crime. Don't spank you child for something they couldn't help.
    And just for the record, if I ever have a chance to confront a child beater... I would probably end up in jail...nuff said.

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17. 68

    betcaroposted 12 years ago

    No. Never. Corporal punishment forces compliance in the moment, which is why some think it is a useful tool. In the end, however, it causes fear and resentment. Spanking teaches a child that being bigger and forceful means you get your way. Victims of spanking may use this "information" later in life to force compliance of others.
    
    Violence begets violence.

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18. 58

    Angela Kaneposted 12 years ago

    Yes to certain degree if they have been very bad. I think the mark of a good parent is that they do not have to resort to spanking their kids.

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19. 61

    engelfantasydreamposted 12 years ago

    personally..actually it is part of our parents diciplining us..they slap our butt lols hahaha..and explain why they slap us..but as a kid actually, i know the reason why they slap our butt..cos we did something wrong..like we got home late..and it is normal in our culture and our time to get slap..and we don;t contest it..it depends what kind of children you have..if spanking them will do them good then why not..if it will not do them good then don;t..learn also what kind of personality does your children have..2nd don;t just spank them just to take it out your anger to them
    
    for me and for the rest of my cousins
    personally spanking or slapping our butt do us good
    i don;t or we don;t rebel about it
    and i believe we grow up to be a  law abiding citizen of our country
    and we grow up level headed and well grounded
    but different children behavior has specific ways of applying dicipline
    so good luck!!!

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20. 60

    hillymillydeeposted 12 years ago

    In the olden times spanking is one act of humiliating others. Do you want to be spank?
    Discipline according how what the child can bear. Discipline him in a way that do not exasperate his heart. Discipline them with love and concern. If this is the motive it is you who  knows?
    Parents who spank their child claims they lost control and regret after all. Their conscience will bother them and they will feel guilty. So did you do it out love or it' just because you lost your control?
    But are there some other ways you can discipline the child without spanking? What is the effect of that spank on the child's young heart? 
    The consequences will tell.

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    THEHuG5posted 12 years ago

    Like a lot of people are saying most people spank their kids out of anger more than for punishment. I was spanked as a child and it got to the point where every little thing that I did (including accidently spilling milk) warranted a brutal spanking.
    
    This is a complicated question because sometimes a kid deserves a spanking if they continuously go way too far. I believe that if you are going to spank a child you should do it with your own hand. Not with a belt, a switch, or a brush or anything like that. If you are going to spank them then you should feel it just as much as they do. It should always be a last resort and it should not last too long. A child should always know WHY they are getting punished.
    
    With that being said I refuse to spank my children when I have them. There are far better ways to discipline children and I don't believe that violence is ever the answer. All it does it teach kids that when somebody hurts you, you should hurt them back.
    
    The only time a kid gets so out of control that they need a spanking is when the parents have previously been constantly inconsistent with reasonable punishment so the kid is off the walls.
    
    Discipline you kids right from the beginning and they won't be so out of control that they need a spanking.

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22. 60

    proactrdvposted 12 years ago

    I don't have any children but it is ok to spank on occassion but not constantly. Childrens" minds are young and they can forget and not deliberatle do anything wrong or may simply do something that they don't know is wrong. Take care in spanking a child. Never spank when you are angry and be careful not to spank for an exteded period of time and know your own strenfth. When spanking an older child, I would take him or her to a private place, explain the situation before spanking them and explain to them that is not something that you would always want to do or enjoy doing. Let hem know that you don't want to humiliate them in front of their piers.

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23. 62

    nanetteparkerposted 12 years ago

    no. because i think  this is one of the reasons why some children become rebellious to their parents. i think the best way to correct kids' mistakes is talk to them and explain the consequences of doing such actions again.

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24. 61

    smzclarkposted 12 years ago

    I have on the rare occasion spanked my child. I do not have a firm opinion on this. The one thing that I do believe however is that if you are to spank your child it should be done in a controlled way...not just lashing out in anger as a last resort. And if a person is to spank their child I think that it is important to explain to your child that violence is not the way to pent your anger; but spanking is a form of punishment...

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25. 81

    NayNay2124posted 12 years ago

    Yes.  I believe that there are circumstances that children need a spanking.  Not a beating, but a swat on the backside to let them know that what they did was dangerous or very bad.  I have found with my own children that once I spanked them a couple of times, I never had to spank them again.  I could talk with them and explain to them what they did was wrong.  Also, I never spanked my children when I was angry.  My children are grown now, but if you asked them if they were spanked, they probably wouldn't remember.

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26. 71

    Infobrowserposted 12 years ago

    Positive Reinforcement is the way forward.
    
    I also think it is very worthwhile to tell a child exactly why they are being disciplined and why the thing they did was wrong. Children deserve that level of respect and they don't appreciate it when people don't explain things to them. They might not learn there lesson if nobody takes the time to teach them it. Let's just say 'they need to learn'.
    
    Rewarding bad behaviour with attention is also an issue. A quick simple explination followed by the punishment I think could be effective enough. If attention is a reward however, then perhaps the punishment should be the opposite.
    
    Spanking them however may well have bad effects that become more visible as they get older.

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27. 60

    missBehavedArtsposted 12 years ago

    The answer really lies in the question, meaning how do you define "spanking"? It is a variable that differs from one person to another. Webster defines "Spanking" as: "to strike on the buttocks with the open hand". However, the matter of force is the key variable. What is the fine line between Spanking and Hitting? When does a slap on the butt turn into a violent beating on the child's behind?
    The idea of teaching using pain isn't new. After all, that is in fact why parents spank children. When a child misbehaves, or does what they know they shouldn't, the response is to give them a negative stimuli in return, in hopes that the child will then connect said act with negativity. The process has been proven multiple times to work. The problem isn't the spanking, the problem is the parent who takes it to the next level, who crosses that line and uses excessive force, not to teach the child, but instead to hurt the child.
    So yes, I DO believe in SPANKING children, but I do NOT believe everyone should be allowed to parent. That is the real question here.

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28. 83

    MelissaVsWorldposted 12 years ago

    I absolutely believe in spanking children.  My four year old does not respond to time-outs or talks.  If he does something major that endangers himself or others, he gets a spanking.  In the event that he does something repeatedly, after talks, timeouts, taking away of toys, etc., he will get a spanking. 
    
    I am not a religious person, so I will not argue the Bible with people.  I will say that I was spanked as a child, and I have no criminal record.  I have never hit my parents, or any other adult.  I do not resent my parents.  I respect them for teaching me right from wrong and being unapologetic for disciplining me.  It gave me structure and taught me there are consequences to my actions.
    
    In the situation where a child may be "fragile" emotionally, spanking may not be appropriate.  I can see where this may cause damage, but I think that situation is rare.  Children today are spoiled, unable to deal with their emotions, and expect that nothing bad will ever happen as they are not taught the consequences of their actions.  I believe most children/teens need a good spanking.

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    MyFavoriteBeddingposted 12 years ago

    No, I think spanking a child is taking the easy road that leads to nothing.  It takes more time and patience to either put a child in time out, taking things away, talking to your child etc....but makes a positive impact in the long run.

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30. 59

    greatparentingposted 12 years ago

    Spanking teaches the child that problems can be easily solved with violence. Why would anyone want a child to grow up believing that? Spanking teaches that it's not necessary to speak or reason when a slap works more quickly. Why would anyone want to teach a child that? Spanking teaches a child that the parent is smart enough or patient enough to find a better way to handle frustration. Is that what you want a child to believe about you? Spanking teaches a child that if you don't like what someone is doing, it's okay to hit that person. It isn't and if you do that as an adult, it's assault and it's illegal. Is that what you want your child to learn from you -- to break the law as a way to solve problems?
    
    Spanking serves no purpose. It's violence, pure and simple and it's wrong. You are bigger than your child. You are older, you are wiser. If you're not smart enough to find a better way to solve your disagreements with a child you aren't equipped to be a parent.

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    1. 91

       vocalcoachposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I have to agree.  As a parent, every act is an example to a child. There are better ways to teach and discipline. For those who may not agree, look up the word "discipline."  It comes from "disciple."  Thank you.

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    AvaGraceposted 12 years ago

    Yes,I do believe in spanking children,and I'm not ashamed to say it.Anyways the bible says spank your children.I was spanked when I was little,and I'm glad I was. I spank my kid,but not too hard so she can bruise,but just hard enough.Obviously when I speak to her,or put her in time out she'll just turn around,and get into something.Plus I'm a single parent,and don't get any help so I NEED to it,I don't have no choice.If I don't spank her she'll control me.And for the parents who don't spank your children you guys are horrible!

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